This is my oldest and best recipe for whole wheat brownies. It's originally from The King Arthur Whole Grain Baking Book, but I've made a few modifications to it including halving the recipe and baking in an 8 inch square pan.
12-Hour Brownies
The only catch to this recipe is that the brownies need to sit for at least 12 hours before you cut them. This is important because the standing time softens the bran in the wheat. Maybe instead of Whole Wheat Brownies they should be called 12-Hour Brownies. Or maybe 24-Hour Brownies. I don't know.
Brownie Flavor
The first time I baked these I used an 8 inch square pan, chilled brownies overnight and cut them late morning. After cooling and cutting, I found the flavor of the cocoa powder I used, Lake Champlain, very fruity and distinct and barely noticed the flavor of the wheat at all.
Whole Wheat Brownies Texture
The texture was just how I'd hoped it would be. The brownies were solid enough so that you could cut them neatly and wrap them up for a lunch box or bake sale, but fudgy enough so that when you squished them together with your fingertips, the texture smoothed out. In short, another great use for good cocoa powder and whole wheat flour.
The recipe may be on the King Arthur site, but last time I checked they moved it so you may have to search if you want to see the original. Here's my version below.
Whole Wheat Flour Brownies
4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, tightly packed 7 oz/210 grams)
6 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa (36 grams)
Scant ½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ to ½ teaspoon espresso powder, optional
½ tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
¾ cup whole wheat flour** (3.1 oz) -- KA uses white whole wheat
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square metal pan with foil and spray the bottom with cooking spray.
In a medium size microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine.
Return the mixture to the heat briefly and heat just till it's hot (about 110°F to 120°F) but not bubbling. Don't worry if it separates; just stir it briefly to recombine a bit. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies. Transfer the mixture to a bowl (or just let it cool slightly and do everything in the saucepan), and stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder if using, and vanilla.
Add the eggs, stirring till smooth. Then add the flour and chips, again stirring till smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake the brownies for 27-30 minutes, until a cake tester or sharp knife poked into the center reveals wet crumbs, but not raw batter. The brownies should feel set on the edges and in the center. Remove them from the oven, and cool completely on a rack. Cover and let sit overnight (I kept mine in the refrigerator, but served at room temp) before cutting and serving.
Yield: 1 dozen
Recipe
Whole Wheat Flour Brownies
Ingredients
- 4 oz unsalted butter, softened (114 grams)
- 1 cup light brown sugar tightly packed 7 oz/210 grams)
- 6 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa (36 grams)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder optional but recommended
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour or white whole wheat (3.1 oz)
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square metal pan with foil and spray the bottom with cooking spray.
- In a medium size microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine.
- Return the mixture to the heat briefly and heat just till it's hot (about 110°F to 120°F) but not bubbling. Don't worry if it separates; just stir it briefly to recombine a bit. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies. Transfer the mixture to a bowl (or just let it cool slightly and do everything in the saucepan), and stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder if using, and vanilla.
- Add the eggs, stirring till smooth. Then add the flour and chips, again stirring till smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake the brownies for 27-30 minutes, until a cake tester or sharp knife poked into the center reveals wet crumbs, but not raw batter. The brownies should feel set on the edges and in the center. Remove them from the oven, and cool completely on a rack. Cover and let sit overnight (I kept mine in the refrigerator, but served at room temp) before cutting and serving.
- Yield: 1 dozen
martha says
I love Vermont and King Arthur flour. Visited the store a couple of years ago during a wonderful weeklong cooking class I attended with my sister. Can't wait to try these whole wheat brownies.
Kelsey @ King Arthur Flour says
Great brownie choice! I must say, I've been following your blog for several years and have always loved browsing your recipes and reading your reviews. Come visit us in Vermont sometime!
stephanie says
Hi Anna-
In the mood for ccc. Until I go to the grocery store have limited butter. So, which Top Chef recipe should I tackle: Erics or Ericas? I'm sooooo torn. I have read & re-read your reviews. I have tried so many ccc recipes in the past month, that my family is a little CCC-out, but I'm in that mood!!! Thanks
Fallon says
That is a nice hearty brownie. This is new to me cocoa powder, sounds like a good brand.
the blissful baker says
ohh the idea of using whole wheat flour in a brownie is so intriguing! i'll definitely try this one out. it'll make me feel a little less guilty about eating half the pan by myself 🙂
bernadettebear says
We used to live in NH and make the trip over to KA, what a treat. Thanks for giving the 1/2 recipe. Just the right size. Can you/would you add nuts to this?
Katrina says
Never really thought about all those great things being from Vermont. Forget touring NYC, I'd love to go to each of those places in Vermont, especially Gesine's, Ben & Jerry's and Lake Champlain.
Nice looking brownies. I love when they have a little bit of somethin' like whole wheat flour and still taste great.
Sue says
What a lot of memories those would invoke at our house. When we lived in Burlington,(way back when) we loved many of the things you mentioned. I told my husband I was pregnant with our fist child via a Vermont Teddy Bear company Bear Gram, and I'm pretty sure he he sent me some Lake Champlain Chocolates that same week. Both of those companies were pretty new and pretty small at the time. Times have changed!!
Lisa Ernst says
This looks like a good, cocoa based brownie with chips other than the whole wheat flour. It never occurred to me that time mellows the assertive quality of whole wheat flour in some recipes. That's good to know. Have you tried the Valhrona cocoa powder in brownies yet? I'm curious how it compares. I just bought some and it is very deep and rich.